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John Merrill considers running for secretary of state

State Rep. John Merrill, R-Tuscaloosa speaks during a ceremony at the Alabama State Fire College in Tuscaloosa, July 26, 2011.

Dusty Compton | Tuscaloosa News

By Dana BeyerleMontgomery Bureau Chief

Published: Friday, September 28, 2012 at 4:30 p.m.

Last Modified: Friday, September 28, 2012 at 4:30 p.m.

MONTGOMERY | State Rep. John Merrill, R-Tuscaloosa, said Friday that he's considering running for statewide office in 2014.

“I am seriously considering being a candidate for secretary of state in 2014,” Merrill said in a telephone interview.

Beth Chapman, the current secretary of state, will be eligible to seek re-election because of term limits.

Merrill said he's received encouragement from various individuals and groups when he has spoken to them about the possibility of seeking the secretary of state job.

Merrill, 48, a bank employee, is a former public school system spokesman and was a student body president at the University of Alabama. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 2010 and his term will end in November 2014.

“He's got a lot of work to do,” said William Stewart of Tuscaloosa, a retired University of Alabama political science professor. “I know he's been traveling around the state and visiting the Republican parties to get known.”

Stewart compared Merrill to former legislator Glen Browder of Anniston. Browder wasn't well-known in the mid-1980s, but he traveled around the state before seeking statewide office.

“He wasn't that well-known, but he got known and went on to Congress,” Stewart said.

Merrill said he's not making an official announcement, but he is beginning to lay groundwork for a statewide run.

“I've begun to contact people throughout the state including members of the Legislature, statewide officeholders, party leaders, community leaders and elected officials throughout the state of Alabama,” he said.

“I'm very excited about the opportunity to consider this as a potential run at the statewide level,” he said.

The secretary of state is a constitutional officer. He or she is the state's chief election officer and is responsible for public documents. The secretary of state serves a four-year term and cannot serve three consecutive terms.

Merrill said he first became interested in the position when he was 14 and a candidate came to Tuscaloosa, which allowed his father to explain what the secretary of state does.

“My time in Montgomery has given me renewed interest,” he said.

He said he's had contact with the secretary of state's office on behalf of a constituent who had an international adoption issue.

“I have also been working with key business leaders throughout the state who have an interest in the way that office runs,” he said.

Merrill said that a series of stories about extraordinary voting registration and participation numbers in the August Uniontown voting solidified his belief in the sanctity of elections.

“The election recently held where we had 125 percent of the population actually participating, I was very disturbed to hear about that,” Merrill said.

Attorney General Luther Strange said he was looking into the Uniontown voting.

<p>MONTGOMERY | State Rep. John Merrill, R-Tuscaloosa, said Friday that he's considering running for statewide office in 2014.</p><p>“I am seriously considering being a candidate for secretary of state in 2014,” Merrill said in a telephone interview.</p><p>Beth Chapman, the current secretary of state, will be eligible to seek re-election because of term limits.</p><p>Merrill said he's received encouragement from various individuals and groups when he has spoken to them about the possibility of seeking the secretary of state job.</p><p>Merrill, 48, a bank employee, is a former public school system spokesman and was a student body president at the University of Alabama. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 2010 and his term will end in November 2014.</p><p>“He's got a lot of work to do,” said William Stewart of Tuscaloosa, a retired University of Alabama political science professor. “I know he's been traveling around the state and visiting the Republican parties to get known.”</p><p>Stewart compared Merrill to former legislator Glen Browder of Anniston. Browder wasn't well-known in the mid-1980s, but he traveled around the state before seeking statewide office. </p><p>“He wasn't that well-known, but he got known and went on to Congress,” Stewart said.</p><p>Merrill said he's not making an official announcement, but he is beginning to lay groundwork for a statewide run. </p><p>“I've begun to contact people throughout the state including members of the Legislature, statewide officeholders, party leaders, community leaders and elected officials throughout the state of Alabama,” he said.</p><p>“I'm very excited about the opportunity to consider this as a potential run at the statewide level,” he said.</p><p>The secretary of state is a constitutional officer. He or she is the state's chief election officer and is responsible for public documents. The secretary of state serves a four-year term and cannot serve three consecutive terms.</p><p>Merrill said he first became interested in the position when he was 14 and a candidate came to Tuscaloosa, which allowed his father to explain what the secretary of state does.</p><p>“My time in Montgomery has given me renewed interest,” he said.</p><p>He said he's had contact with the secretary of state's office on behalf of a constituent who had an international adoption issue.</p><p>“I have also been working with key business leaders throughout the state who have an interest in the way that office runs,” he said.</p><p>Merrill said that a series of stories about extraordinary voting registration and participation numbers in the August Uniontown voting solidified his belief in the sanctity of elections. </p><p>“The election recently held where we had 125 percent of the population actually participating, I was very disturbed to hear about that,” Merrill said.</p><p>Attorney General Luther Strange said he was looking into the Uniontown voting.</p>